Your Most Hated Genre?

[Stacy]

Hi All,

What's a genre you simply cannot stand and hate to read and definitely wouldn't wanna write? One you might not like when it comes to movies and television as well.

For me it's Sci-fi and Fantasy. I've always hated anything Sci-fi whether it was a book, television show or movie. I just don't like Sci-fi or fantasy. There are some movie exceptions but I've never liked any of the Sci-fi or Fantasy books I've read.

Just not my thing. I hate things that deal with outer space, aliens, flying creatures, LOL. I love mythology though and things dealing with the Gods but that's as close to fantasy I can get. Anyway, what's your most hated genre?

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[I. J. Parker]

SF usually makes me giggle because it's silly. I'm very "reality-based." Fantasy I like if it's done well. I like Tolkien and Rowling, for example. There is no expectation here for me to believe in it.

I suppose something I really can't stand is romance. At least those books that are written to a publisher's formula. I also don't like most serial killer books, or legal thrillers, or military thrillers. I don't like books written by women for women. I don't like cat mysteries or cooking mysteries or shopping mysteries or hairdresser mysteries. I'm not happy with hardboiled females either. I don't like sentimental books. I don't like books about horribly afflicted people overcoming their affliction. I guess, I really hate inspirational books. Yes, them I hate most of all. :)
Wow! So many books I don't have to read!

[Caroline Trippe]

LOL, I.J.! I am still laughing. We seem to have graduated from the same reading school! :) Ditto to every kind of book you mentioned.

But, having said that, I have to add that there is always the exception....perhaps one book within any genre categtory that I will read for some reason or other and end up liking, even though I still don't care for the genre as a whole. So while I don't care for SF, I have praise for some of Ursula LeGuin's writing. I like a good ghost story or tale of the supernatural when its purpose is psychological revelation. Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" is a masterpiece of the "haunted house" genre. The first movie, with Julie Harris, was chilling; the remake, PERFECTLY DREADFUL.

Stephen Kings' sturm und drang apocalyptic endings are not to my taste, although "The Shining" was one of the scariest books---and movies---ever However, I got curious about Michael Koryta's "So Cold the River " from the discussions about it here on CrimeSpace and have just started it. I'm sort of intigued but the jury is still out.

I loved the Tolkien books when they first came out, but fantasy doesn't interest me at all now. I read "Interview with the Vampire" and really liked it, but couldn't bring myself to continue with the series, and have no interest in all these new underage vampires. :)

For romance novels I would make no exceptions. I would not read a romance novel under any circumstances that I can think of.

I also hate romantic movies. Mostly they make Sci Fi seem realistic! :)

[I. J. Parker]

Given past postings, I'm not at all surprised we think alike. :)

[D.R. MacMaster]

I think the "super-genius serial killer" subgenre has burnt itself out.

Also books about suburban ennui where nothing actually happens bore me to tears.

[Eric Christopherson]

Overall: Celebrity memoir

Within crime genre: Cat related mysteries

[Garry L. McLaughlin]

Many of Stephen King type horror books. I don't like a lot of sex, bloody gory killing and drugs. I have seen enough of the gory stuff in real life and much of it was caused by drugs.

I do enjoy some fantasy as long as it is done well and not stupid. I have totally had my fill of vampire type books and films. Although I was thinking about writing about a girl that had a pet porcupine that was a vampire and after it had fed she would pull out a quill and write mystery stories with the blood. ; )

Garry-

[Pepper Smith]

Anything supernatural. SF I like, as long as it's more hard-core science and not so much fantasy-based. Romance these days is not to my tastes--maybe I'm old-school, but I prefer to have the curtain drawn than have a bedside view of the festivities. Cozies where the protag and plotline are so ridiculous that all I can do is roll my eyes and close the cover. Serial-killers. Books where the main point seems to be how many people can be killed, or how much violence can be done.

Sorry, I don't have just one.

[Stacy]

That reminds me. I hate vampires too. I don't read anything with vampires.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Does "too long" count as a genre?

There are many classics pushing beyond 150k. But if you're writing today, keep it under 100k. If you can't tell the story within that length, get out of the kitchen or break it into a series.

I think some greener writers believe length equals quality. If you write something as long as a classic, it must be as good as a classic.

Quality is quality. Quantity is quantity. The two don't switch.

[Stacy]

I agree, Ben. I see so many new writers coming out with manuscripts up to 230K! Who the heck they think will publish those from a newbie I don't know. Most times long books are a sign that you haven't edited correctly, have overwritten, using too many words, have scenes you don't need, unneeded characters or subplots, bad pacing, etc. Most can be cut down to a shorter length. I hate long books myself though I do like classics but this day and age I don't like long books.

Another thing about new writers is a lot don't even research the guidelines for their genre to know what word count is acceptable or not. They're only hurting themselves because most agents and editors won't take a very long book from a first time writer because of the things I mentioned. There are some exceptions but those are very rare.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Sue Harding]

I must confess Sci-fi/Fantasy/Supernatural would be my last port of call if I had to make a choice. That's not to say it's all bad - I've read some Arthur C Clarke novels that have been engaging and also the 'Left Behind' series. It's the teen-vampire ones that put me off and the really obscure Sci-fi stuff (the sort where they create worlds/hieracrchies/languages that you almost need to do a degree to understand the terminology!)

I did NaNoWriMo last year and I'd say a high percentage of the stuff on show there was Fantasy! Probably, because you can 'create' the boundaries of your own little 'realm' - you don't have to stay within the confines of 'normal' reality and day-to-day gritty issues that you would in, say, the Crime genre.

[Albert Tucher]

Addiction memoirs. It's probably unfair of me, but I always think, "Okay, you didn't have any real problems, so you went out and invented some."

Followed closely by Christian fiction. In my crime fiction I have even dropped some stories that would have required me to write a deeply religious character. I'm not equipped to understand religious fervor.